domain name server

[DX Xetrov]

What is this and whats its primary function?

[Bradley]

wintersquall said:

What is this and whats its primary function?

It's a server that runs an application that points a domain name (blablabl.com) to a server's IP address.

[squalleh]

wintersquall said:

What is this and whats its primary function?

DNS. Probably should start by telling you how Domain Names work.

Domain Names are essentially a record of an IP Address. When you connect to a website (such as ProBoards.com) you're connecting to a Web Server. This Web Server is actually addressed by an IP Address. However, as IP Addresses are difficult to remember for most people Domain Names were invented. There's a server which recognizes ProBoards.com as an IP Address. When you connect to ProBoards this server actually relays back an IP Address. You're always connected to web pages via an IP. However, for memorization's sake, you only need to know the Domain Name.

So, a DNS server is the server which transfers back the IP Address of the server which the Domain Name points to.

I should also probably tell you that Web Servers are not connected to Domain Names. No connection what so ever really. It's all about pointing. The Domain Name points to an IP Address. The IP Address is the actual server.

Here, want further proof? Go to this address:
207.44.184.67

[bile]

Also If you wan't to run PHP, ASP, CGI, Perl and other sever side code languages you will need to have a server. So if you are practicing one of those on your computer, you couldn't view it unless you had a server downloaded on your computer (You can buy a server as well (around $10,000)) People who are not commited to their website usually borrow space for free from someone elses web server. You could also buy space from a web server if you would like.

[squalleh]

bile said:

Also If you wan't to run PHP, ASP, CGI, Perl and other sever side code languages you will need to have a server. So if you are practicing one of those on your computer, you couldn't view it unless you had a server downloaded on your computer (You can buy a server as well (around $10,000)) People who are not commited to their website usually borrow space for free from someone elses web server. You could also buy space from a web server if you would like.

...You need a server to serve even HTML pages. While you can view HTML pages on your PC without a web server you won't be able to show anybody else without sending them the HTML files.

Also, a server (the PC itself) would not cost $10,000. What the hell kind of number is that? You could build one yourself for maybe $1,500. Servers are normal computers, they're just dedicated to serving web pages. Only real difference between a dedicated web server and a PC is that the server is more likely to have much more RAM. I don't know where you get your facts from, but you're greatly mistaken.

Oh, and before the web server software is mentioned: Apache is open source and free. Apache also happens to be the most popular and widely used server software today. Almost, if not all, UNIX-based servers use and come with Apache. Then, it can also run on Windows too. Go figure.

Oh, and note, I'm very commited to my web site. But, I still buy hosting. Why? I don't want the hassle of running a dedicated server at the time.

[hey]

Servers aren't even that much now adays. More like $250-500 at cheapest.

[squalleh]

hey said:

Servers aren't even that much now adays. More like $250-500 at cheapest.

If you pay monthly through a Datacenter, sure (that can range from $90 to $250 usually). But, I'm talking about setting up an entire PC from scratch and running it from you home. The average PC built from scratch usually costs aroun $1500. So, it'd be no different for a server.

[Ben Woodruff]

squalleh said:

hey said:

Servers aren't even that much now adays. More like $250-500 at cheapest.

If you pay monthly through a Datacenter, sure (that can range from $90 to $250 usually). But, I'm talking about setting up an entire PC from scratch and running it from you home. The average PC built from scratch usually costs aroun $1500. So, it'd be no different for a server.

pssh, what kind of a BS number is that? $1,500. You can't be talking USD, because I know I built my server for a crapload less than that.

Mine was like $400.
1 AMD Athlon XP 2800+ 2087.99 MHz 512 KB (cache)
System Bogomips 4136.96
hda: WDC WD1200JB-00CRA1 (Capacity: 111.79 GB)
hdb: Maxtor 6B160P0 (Capacity: 152.67 GB)
sda: WDC (something or other) (Capacity: 31.87 GB)
1.24 GB PC2700 (should have got DDR400) RAM
3 x 10/100 NICs (I got these all for free) + on board NIC
and a NICE Asus motherboard that I don't have the model on.

I also put an nVidia piece of crap video card in there that I got for free.

No monitor, no keyboard, no mouse, no monitor, 4 NICs, tons of RAM and hard drive space, crappy case, 350WATT PS. Just the way a server should be (except I need faster RAM and a more powerful PS to run all my hard drives).



Forgot to mention the OS was free, as it's Linux. Would have cost me a lot more to run a Windows server.